


Agents and the Beasts

by Naferty



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Creatures & Monsters, Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Iron Man Noir - Freeform, M/M, Magical Pepper Potts, Magical Rhodey, Magical Tony Stark, Modern Captain America, Tails, Wings, magical beasts
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-27
Updated: 2017-03-22
Packaged: 2018-04-23 16:09:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 13,138
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4883239
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Naferty/pseuds/Naferty
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Years ago, during one of his many adventures of Marvels to find artifacts and a possible cure for his ailing heart, Tony encountered magic that left him, and his two friends, Rhodey and Pepper, with very permanent extra features. Cursed with uncontrollable powers of beasts that were only meant to exist in fairy tales, Tony and his friends continued their adventures to search, not for a cure for his heart, but for answers and the key to prevent them from losing all control. What they hadn’t counted on was falling asleep and waking up in the future 70 years later where all of their adventures were considered make-believe comics. </p><p>As for Steve, who he had grown up collecting Marvels comic books and was a huge fan of Tony Stark, it was a dream come true meeting the group that were believed to be a myth until recent events. Now he and his teammates were stuck with the famous adventuring group, and through Steve’s and Bucky’s nerdy worshipping, Arno’s awkward family reunion, frighteningly advanced technology and Clint’s and Sam’s constant demands for autographs, they were going to do everything they could to help search for an answer.</p><p>(This is a preview/brief glimpse)</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> A silly idea I wanted to write for the main reason of pairing up the two famous friends of Tony and Steve. I wanted a little friendship going on between them.  
> Hope you like it! 
> 
> Things to know. This takes from Iron Man Noir. Tony and the gang are the ones from the 40's. Steve and the others are modern that still experienced what they experienced in First Avenger and Winter Soldier, serum and getting manipulated wise. Everything else I'm throwing at the wall to see what sticks.  
> This is like a fuse with the movie universe and the comics. Let's just say the battle against Loki and the Chitauri will go a little different.

There was a faint whistling of wind echoing through a small opening that rustled the hanging leaves of a bush in its path. Tony locked in on the sound, following it in an almost hypnotic state. His eyes stared blindly while his body moved as if he knew the area by heart, engraved in his very soul, even though he never set foot on the place before in his life. When he came upon the opening, covered in bushes and vines, he reared back his arms and swiped the vegetation. A sickening slicing sound echoed around as the bushes and vines fell apart, covering the ground already bathing in grass.

His slicing revealed a stony wall decorated in patterns and holes that created the whistling sound. With his hands soaked in plant dew he placed them over the patterns, feeling the rise of stone that outlined it under his calloused hands and giving a clear view of his sharp claws to the world. With a deep breath he pushed against the wall with all his might but the stone remained stubborn and refused to budge. He gave three more attempts, grunting louder with each push, but the stone stayed in place.

One final attempt and Tony gave up, turning around to look for the one person who was capable of nearly moving everything. James Rhodes stood with his arms crossed behind him, a smirk on his face from watching him struggle with the stone.

“You could have offered assistance while I worked sweat trying to move this thing,” Tony huffed, feeling his back muscles and his appendage he was still not familiar with move in agitation.

“It wouldn’t be as much fun to see,” Rhodey said with his wings moving in response.

“Some assistant you are.”

“Not your assistant, Tones.”

Pepper Potts, who had been standing next to Rhodey, walked up and studied the wall, taking note of the turns in the pattern and the holes that appeared to have been made from long years of erosion. “Is this the only opening of the structure?”

“It’s the only correct opening that doesn’t consist of traps and dead ends. If we try to enter any other way we might find ourselves at the ends of pointed spears and poisoned darts,” Tony answered, joining her at studying the wall.

“As if that has stopped you before.”

“True. Right now, though, we’re not looking for adventure. We’re looking for answers and our answers may just be behind this wall. We need to get a move on before we lose more light. Rhodey, you’re up.”

Rhodey, in a childish endeavor, snorted and walked up to the wall. He pulled his arms back to stretched and huffed before placing both hands on the wall and pushed. Tony watched as the muscles on the tall man rippled under skin from the sheer force he was exhorting. His bat-like wings expanding and contracting unconsciously and his beaded tail swaying back and forth. Tony and Pepper stood clear of the tail, mindful not to get stung by the sting on the very top.

In one effort and without breaking a sweat the wall began moving. It cracked on the sides from where they stood and began descending inward. Tony and Pepper watched in amazement as slowly but surely the wall continued further in, changing what they believed to be a simple door with a small space into a dark tunnel. With each step Rhodey took there was an echo of stone scraping on stone. Further and further they entered, the tunnel expanding deeper than what was structurally possible. Soon Rhodey’s breathing had a notable grunt in it with every push but he continued. At one point Tony saw how in the start of their walk the floor was leveled out but now his and Pepper’s hair were falling forward and their steps expanded.

They were not only entering the structure they were going deep into the ground belly of the place. Usually that meant whatever the structure was hiding needed an enormous amount of space, which more often than not entailed the hidden item to be huge, moving and very much alive.

Rhodey gave the separated wall chunk a few more pushes before a loud crack happened and it suddenly slid without resistance out of his grasp and further in. The three watched it cautiously until it vanished and fell out of sight. They continued to stare long after it was gone, refusing to move until they were absolutely sure no danger was going to come out of it.

Silence filled their ears until Tony finally huffed and said “Swedish men and their architecture styles.”

“Would have been helpful if it did that after three pushes,” Rhodey said and stretched out his tired arms. “Moving it took a lot out of me. Are you sure it was a door and I didn’t just break through the wall?”

“Positive. When have I ever given you reason to doubt me?”

Rhodey and Pepper gave him dead looks, both unconsciously stiffing their bat and feathery wings. The wings expressed more than what their faces and body revealed and all three had learned overtime to always keep an eye on them to see what they were truly thinking and feeling. Tony found it to be extremely helpful in figuring out what his comrades were thinking but at the same time he found it to be an attack because it went both ways and they were more than willing to always point out his stance from the way his wings shifted.

“Tell me how you really feel,” Tony said sarcastically, watching as their wings shifted in what he figured out meant embarrassment. In response he felt his own wings move in amusement and he mentally cursed. Even after months of trying to learn how to have a handle on his new (he still considered them new and will probably never stop calling them new, refusing to get used to them) body features he still couldn’t figure out how exactly they worked. There were moments where he could willingly control them and there were moments he didn’t even realize they were acting on their own. The bastard wings of his had a mind and were getting joy from making his life hard.

Speak of the devil his scaly tail was also making hell for him, given how he felt it flick back and forth in an amusing manner.

“Shall we get a move on?” Tony said and began slowly walking down, hunching over to control his center of gravity. Rhodey and Pepper followed after him.

When they reached the opening where the stone wall vanished and fell they found themselves inside a grand room that couldn’t possibly be the structure they had heard of. What they were told was described to be a small temple with a pedestal in the center and an item that supposedly held answers to their dilemma. Same old, same old. Instead they ended up with what looked to be an entirely new land under a land. Granted, this land didn’t look pleasant. In fact, the land looked absolutely dead with no grass, no trees and no sun and yet there was light illuminating the flat under-surface. There was plenty of stones and dirt, but nothing that signified life.

The land looked eerily familiar.

“Tony, what is this?” Pepper asked while gawking as gracefully as she could. Her sharp eyes taking in every single detail.

“A discovery that hasn’t been made yet, but I get the feeling we were supposed to find it,” Tony said and looked down to find the very stone wall they had pushed creating a step that helped them land on the ground safely.

“Isn’t this-?”

“The same underground land we found over in the deserted corners of Iceland? Close but there is an obvious lack of beast statues to curse us this time,” Tony began walking further into the land, getting closer and closer to the center.

“Is it possible there was a statue here and got activated?” Pepper asked, following closely with her wings bristling cautiously for any dangers.

“If there was it’s long gone by now. Whoever got cursed is probably out looking for answers like us.”

“Great,” Rhodey said, “we’ve got allies.”

“Search around. There has to be something here,” Tony said. “This is our last known connection. If we don’t find anything we’re back to square one.”

“I’ll take a look around,” with a grand sight of Pepper extending her wings she took off into the air with a gush of wind. It took months to learn and the process involved injuries and exhaustion that pushed human limits, but the ability to fly and cover more land was well worth the pain.

Tony and Rhodey kept a close eye on her as she circled the enclosed land. Her brown and white feathered wings becoming the only visible thing distinguished in the distance until she began to return. Even though they each had learned to take flight they still hadn’t grown their strength and stamina to remain in the air for long. Rhodey the most, compared to them. So far, even with his every day run and flight he could only stay in the air for a total of eighteen minutes before his wings gave away and he fell. Pepper easily learned to fly, gaining the skill as if it was second nature to her, and even gained the strength and stamina to stay for an entire hour and thirty minutes. Tony was in the in-between, only managing forty five.

With practice they could probably double it, but the point of this little scavenger hunt was to find a cure and never having to worry about it.

Pepper landed in front of them with a bit of a tumble. Her breathing hard and erratic. “No signs of any statues. There is nothing for miles. All dirt and stone.”

Tony frowned and looked towards the distance, not believing there was truly nothing. They found this place by moving the wall that he presumed was the only opening and it was no coincidence that the land was similar to the very land they had discovered and cursed them. There was something, even when there was no statue to curse them further. There was something.

Something bubbled inside him suddenly. The very something they were trying to get rid of. The beast rested inside and Tony could feel it, thumping inside his chest, reminding him of what would return once he got rid of it once and for all. His heart thump heavily, something he didn’t believe would ever happen again, and yet here it was. Without meaning to or realizing he growled. He wouldn’t have noticed doing so if it wasn’t for Pepper and Rhodey doing the same. Rhodey growled similarly to that of a lion while Pepper gave a low and soft, threatening screech similar to that of an eagle. All three looked at each other in surprise, coming to the same conclusion. Their beasts were reacting to something nearby.

They turned their backs to each other to cover the area. All three standing defensively with their wings expanding slightly in warning. Tony and Pepper gained enough distance to avoid Rhodey accidentally striking them with his poisonous tail. Their own tails flicking back and forth in agitation.

Their growls continued and their eyes scanned for anything dangerous. It wasn’t until the very land they were standing on began shaking that the source of their instincts made itself known. There was a distant roar that sent every nerve in their bodies on high alert. The roar, terrifyingly enough, didn’t come from the top or from anywhere at their sides, but instead came from the very ground. Another roar echoed and caused the ground to rumble and shake. It grew closer and closer until it reached the point where the land began breaking.

With a cold sweat all three quickly jumped and took to the air, separating. From the ground, exactly where they were standing mere seconds ago, something broke through with a mighty roar that shook the entire foundation and even caused stone and ground from the ceiling that enclosed the place. The thing, the beast, that broke through was the stuff of nightmares, even compared to their own. Dirt and stone trailed down the monster's dark silver body. A body that stood three-stories high on two thick and clawed legs and a long scaled tail with fins decorating the top.

Another roar echoed followed by three other roars and the three came face to face with four different frightening heads. They looked at the beast and they all knew what they were facing.

It was a hydra.

A beast that sent their own into a frenzy.

Tony could feel his dragon wanting to burst out and sink its teeth into one of the hydra’s neck. He could feel it wanting to end its life once and for all even when this was the first time Tony came face to face with it. He could only imagine what Rhodey’s and Pepper’s own beasts were feeling. The manticore and griffin no doubt wanting to join the dragon in killing the hydra.

The hydra’s head all turned to look at them. Rhodey and Pepper having a head pin them down and Tony having two of his own. He growled again, this time louder, a razor’s edge away from becoming a roar.

In a tense moment where they waited for the hydra to make its move they were surprised and downright shocked when the beast began laughing. It had stopped growling and began laughing in a heavy and terrifying tone. Even through it's chuckles the hydra never once took its eyes off them.

Tony felt his dragon wanting to lash out and, in a strange phenomenon, he felt emotions coming from the beast. Emotions he wasn’t familiar with and felt foreign to his body and yet at the same time completely natural, as if he experienced it everyday.

Tony, not having a single clue to what was happening and feeling exhausted from everything occurring, asked himself the all important question, _What was happening?_

“And so the dragon and his pets have returned,” one of the hydra’s heads said. One of the two facing Tony.

The one facing Pepper spoke next, “I had expected to meet you again in your full bodies and yet I come upon you still trapped. Can’t even win against pathetic humans.”

The one facing Rhodey was up next, “How do you expect to fight me like this? You are but children to me.”

The same one that spoke first leaned in, causing Tony to quickly act and avoid colliding with it, “It was not the dragon that decided to arrive. The dragon has no control. It was you, was it not, human?”

A bubbling rage from the dragon built up in Tony’s chest but he ignored it as best as he could. He needed answers and this might have been it. Clearly this hydra knew what they were and what had happened. “You know what has happened then,” it wasn’t a question.

One of the heads barked in laughter, “You have been chosen to be the dragon’s new body and yet you know nothing of it. I had expected many things from the dragon’s choice but I am greatly disappointed by this. You are of no challenge to me. Neither you nor your bird and cat pets.”

Rhodey growled and Pepper stiffened, her wings flapping harshly in anger.

Tony stared the hydra down, an action that amused it, “What does it mean? Why does the dragon need to choose a new body? And why us?”

“The little human seeks answers. You have traveled far and searched wide just to be told your purpose,” the hydra mocked. “You are nothing but a sack waiting to be filled and used. The dragon and his pets had lost their bodies, just as I had lost mine. In one of our many battles our magic collided and destroyed us, turning our bodies to stone. We no longer existed for many years. None found us and our old land became our prison, our old bodies our chains, but you humans prove to be a reasonable substitution. Even as we speak your body is changing. The dragon’s magic building itself inside you. Soon he will break free, the beast wanting freedom again and finish what he failed centuries ago.”

“We’re a _substitution_?” Tony shouted.

“Soon you will lose your humanity and the beast will be released. Have you felt it? The sudden loss of control? The dragon takes over and you lose yourself completely.”

Panic set in. Tony _had_ felt it. The sudden blackouts where he was still marginally aware he was doing something but had no control whatsoever right after an extortion of power that didn’t belong to him. Is that what it was? The dragon slowly breaking through the walls. And if it finally did was Tony going to be lost forever? Were Rhodey and Pepper, too?

“How do we stop it?” Tony asked with a hint of desperation.

All the hydra heads turned to him, “How do you stop it? Foolish human. Once chosen there is nothing you can do. You can’t stop it. You can’t fight it. It will happen. No matter how much control you posses sooner or later your will shall break and the dragon will be set free. If you truly wish to hold onto hope then let me help you.” The heads pulled back, making the hydra look taller. “Let us end your suffering before you lose your humanity. Let us finish this the way it’s supposed to. Stop resisting and stop finding a hold to be human.” It began hissing, his words growing louder and louder. “Allow the dragon to be free and let us continue our battle that has been long overdue. Give up just as this human gave up and set me free.”

“You had a human?” Tony began retreating back from the threatening stance.

“I did. Still the human struggles but he shall never break free again. He has no hold in humanity, nothing to help him. He is gone, just as you will once I end you,” with a roar the hydra struck. Tony barely managing to avoid the sharp teeth.

Rhodey, who had been in the air for seven minutes now, moved as fast as he could with his wings straining. One hydra head saw its chance and tried striking again and was inches away when a blast of cold air and icicles struck it on the side and sent it falling sideways and away from Rhodey.

Tony ducked from two heads going for him, folding his wings in a freefall and causing the heads to collide against each other.

With a growl the head that acted as the leader said, “Let us end this. Let the beasts free and end your humanity. You have no anchor here. Nothing will keep you fighting. Let us finish this!”

The head pulled back and came barreling forward like a missile aiming for land.

_To Be Continued…_

* * *

 

With a longing sigh Steve closed the comic book in his hands and carefully held it. The comic was of Marvels and on the front page the image of Tony Stark stood proudly in a confident pose. Besides him stood James Rhodes and Virginia Potts in a similar pose. All three looking in various directions that Steve could imagine being a very dramatic movie poster. On their backs were the infamous wings that created their downfall.

Another long sigh. Steve, while he admitted was a bit of an odd turn, actually liked the wings. Marvels had gained its fame from having Tony Stark explore around for artifacts in the famous armor, but for some reason the author decided to take another direction and have the armor taken away, replaced by wings instead. It was a bold move and something many fans didn’t like. To take away one of the reasons was basically to ask for self-destruction and for it to turn and bite them back viciously. And that was exactly what happened with the comics. Marvels had lost more than half their fans, many claiming the idiocy of replacing something solid and amazing like the Iron Man armor to something so childish like feathered angel-like wings.

Steve, completely loyal to the Tony Stark character, continued to support the comics. Long after the plot did a complete 180 he continued to buy and collect every issue he could. Even the last infamous issue ever printed where Tony and the gang searched through the lands of Sweden in search of an artifact that was said could end humans.

Mindful of not accidentally folding an edge of the comic, Steve opened to the very last page where Tony was drawn walking next to Pepper with Rhodey in front of them pushing a very large wall that would be physically impossible for a normal human. The last few boxes were pictures of the tunnel they were walking through and on the final box there was a bright white circle that gave the idea of light being seen through darkness before the ‘ _To Be Continued…_ ” mocked him.

This was the very last issue of the comic ever printed before Marvels was completely canceled. Many who believed they were the true fans for fighting against the changes cheered for the cancellation, claiming it was the first and final action to giving the comics the respect they deserved. Steve, on the other hand, was disappointed. He wanted to continue reading about Stark’s adventures, wanted to continue reading about the friendship between him and Rhodes and Potts. He didn’t care what direction the comics went to so long as they kept the characters the same. Tony, Rhodey and Pepper still said and behaved how they always behaved since the start and that was all Steve needed. Sure, he missed the famous silver armors, but so long as the comics still had Tony Stark in them he didn’t care if dragons were involved or mermaids or even elves.

He couldn’t say the same for other fans. There wasn’t enough support and the chronicler, Frank Finlay, after the comics’ cancellation nearly 70 years ago, went underground and the chance to ever know how the adventure ended was an out-of-reach dream now.

Steve could guess and imagine that Tony and the gang found something at the end of the tunnel and got their answers, managed to safely end their adventure and retire with families and told stories of their encounters to their children and their grandchildren. Maybe at one point, in Steve’s head, Tony lived long enough to still be alive for him to meet in person, bed-ridden with white hair and old tired but wise eyes, and still had strength and time to tell Steve one of his greatests adventures of all.

Here was to dreaming.

With a careful hand he closed the comic again and gingerly placed it inside its little plastic cover he had gotten for it to preserve. Mindful to keep an eye for any onlookers he quickly hid the comic back in its place amongst his other issues in a box he refused to reveal the location in his room. He trusted the agents of SHIELD to have his back but when it came to his comics that was a whole other story.

Checking the time, a quarter to 2400, Steve was surprised it had gotten that late. He always lost track of time when he read the comics. He was to be scheduled for a morning departure tomorrow/today and he knew he needed to get an early night's rest but a feeling of nostalgia decided to hit him and he had this burning urge to read the comics again. He told himself it was only going to be one but one quickly turned to two and two to three and - really, there was no way he could only read one comic. It just wasn’t the same.

Quickly crawling back on his SHIELD issued bed he willed himself to sleep on the spot, managing to stay conscious with his eyes closed for only fifteen minutes before falling asleep and waking up again to loud knocking on his door.

Without being invited in the door opened and inside came Bucky, his best friend with the very attractive robotic-like arm that he always claims lands him the ladies, but really he only wants to constantly remind Steve that, while Steve was the only planned supersoldier, he didn’t have the cool arm.

At least Steve had the unbreakable shield. He had that to rub on Bucky.

“Are you still in bed? We’re about to leave in thirty minutes, Steve. Get your ass up and get dressed already,” Bucky said, forcing the covers off and grinning at the blond’s weak effort to get them back.

“I only need ten to get ready,” Steve mumbled through his pillow, eyes still closed.

“I know you do, but the sooner the better. Fury really wants us to get there soon and I, for one, want to see what all this hush business is about already. You know how I am when I’m being sent somewhere blind. Get up!”

Groaning, Steve got up, watching as the blurry image of his friend from the sleepy haze sharpened enough to reveal him already in his Soldier uniform and was only a hop, skip and jump away from getting on the jet and taking off.

Getting ready for the mission did only take him ten minutes and before long they were making their way down the halls towards the landing pads of the jets. Maria Hill was waiting for them just besides the jet already on and warming up.

“Gentlemen so good of you to finally join us,” she said looking at a folder in her hand that, by some miracle, was not moving at all or being blown right out of her hands.

“Steve slept in,” Bucky said for no particular reason other than being a wisecrack.

Ignoring him, Hill continued, “Fury wants you both in this jet and on course an hour ago. Get a move on. Your pilot will take you to your destination that will take approximately 4 hours and 20 minutes. Once you get there Fury will tell you the rest.”

“Why hasn’t he told us now?” Steve asked.

Hill snapped her eyes away from the file, looking straight at him, “Let's just say it’s going to be a bit of a fantasy for the rest of the day.”

Steve and Bucky exchanged questioning looks but Hill didn’t say anything else and quickly walked away, leaving them no choice but to continue on with the mission blindly. They walked inside and sat in their self-assigned seating. With a rumble and a high pitched screech from the engines the jet took off, leaving both agents and pilot with four hours of free time and nothing to do.

“We have four hours to catch up on our sleep now,” Bucky adjusted himself and laid sideways on his bench of seats. “Keep watch first or should I?”

Steve didn’t answer, already closing his heavy eyes and dozing off. He might have felt mildly guilty for not even giving Buck a chance to decide who took up watch but sleep was too tempting. Not even a minute later he was dozing off to the soft tremble of the jet and its humming.

~~

 

When Fury mentioned their new mission was going to take place in an isolated location in Sweden, the most deserted place possible, Steve had expected a sort of desolation place with dead plants and visible dried, brown dirt stretching for miles and miles. What he didn’t expect was a sunny sight with grass and healthy trees and… was that a deer prancing away? Anything but this, yet it was exactly what he was seeing.

The jet had landed near the edge of a marked location with tents and SHIELD agents walking around. From the air both Steve and Bucky managed to see the the collapsion of dirt that created a giant circle in the center. An agent came to fetch them and they were led right to this collapsion that had a opening to it. On closer inspection they found the dirt surrounding this opening were stuck together by some sort of material that, when touched, gave a chill down to their bones. The dirt was frozen and Steve could have sworn that, if it wasn’t for the serum in his body and Bucky touching the dirt with his metal arm, they would have gotten frostbite from touching it with their bare skin.

Steve took notice how the dirt sticking together created a tunnel wide enough to drive a truck through and many agents were carefully avoiding coming into contact with the dirt. He also noticed the deeper they went in the tunnel the more agents were wearing twice as much clothing in an attempt to stay warm. Puffs of smoke released from his mouth as the temperature dropped and he made a mental note to complain to Peggy about secrecy preventing a forewarning to bring something warm to a freezing location.

Speaking of Peggy there she was now, standing next to a dark figure he guessed was Fury with his arms behind his back in a commanding stance. The tunnel led to an opening that circled around them, creating a dome. Fury and Peggy stood right at the end of the tunnel and turned the moment Steve and Bucky exited it.

“Rogers. Barnes,” Fury said when they reached them. “Glad you could make it.”

“Are you finally going to tell us what this is about? We’re being assigned to something without a single idea of what’s going on,” Bucky said with a huffed that created a large puff of smoke.

“I figured what you’re about to see will make up for it. This is a very delicate situation that we don’t want spreading around. At least not yet.”

“What are we up against?” Steve asked.

“Something that will create a PR nightmare if not handled right,” Peggy answered. “I know you both share a fondness for comic heroes and I believe you will enjoy this little assignment.”

“Comic heroes? Like those superheroes Steve keeps reading?” Bucky wasn’t fooling any of them. They knew he loved comics just as much as Steve, especially Marvels. “Are we dealing with new superhumans?”

Peggy shook her head, causing her brown curls to bounce with the motion,“Not exactly _new_. Let’s just say they’ve been known for a while. Almost 70 years, to be precise.”

Steve gaped, “ _70 years_? How is that possible?”

Instead of answering Peggy asked her own question, “Tell me, Steve, do you still love Marvels? I know you’ve collected every issue out there.”

What kind of question was that? “Of course I do, Peg, but what does that have to do with anything?”

A knowing sparkle appeared in her eyes and a smile graced her lips. She shared a look with Fury, switching the stage to him. Without moving his cape glided slightly with no wind felt as he said, “Then you know what happened to the characters. The whole getting wings and causing a war between its fans that lead to its cancellation, or at least that’s what it’s presumed. God knows we hear it every time from Barton and Wilson when they complain about the change.”

“I like the wings,” Steve tried defending. “It added to the fantasy of adventuring and they were unique.”

“They were a bit ridiculous,” Bucky admitted.

“Not a bit. They were completely ridiculous,” Nick said with a roll of his eyes. “But they surprisingly lasted a while with the change. That is until the end when they traveled to Sweden in their last issue.”

Steve noticed how Fury stressed the last part and quickly made the connection. They were currently in Sweden, the last location in the comics Tony Stark had traveled to with his companions. They were also talking about the Marvels comics and about bringing in new/old superhumans that would cause a PR nightmare.

 “These superhumans,” Fury continued. “We’re dealing with bringing back these three into a society that believes them to be nothing but fiction. A big fantasy that someone created.”

“You don’t mean…” Bucky looked to be holding back from asking the obvious question in both his and Steve’s mind.

“Those changes held more truth than everyone thought, and the comics were more than make-believe.” Fury and Peggy moved to the side, revealing what stood in the center of the dome.

Steve’s breath stopped as he took sight of what exactly was standing in the center. It wasn’t a weapon he had originally believed. It wasn’t a person cuffed with agents surrounding them. It wasn’t even a discovered artifact that held power beyond belief. It was statues. Frozen statues. Statues that held the similar features and looked exactly like the three adventurers from the Marvels comics Steve and Bucky read. The figures were encoded in dark ice, shining from the light the agents had brought in. They stood in poses that suggested they were frozen in place while fighting, to be remembered forever in their last moments of their final battle. The characters Tony, Rhodey and Pepper were lined up side by side, Tony in the center with Rhodey and Pepper besides him. They stood with their knees bent, their front coming forward with their arms spread out in a threatening manner and their wings - their _wings_ , the very wings that everyone complained about for being introduced- stretched out as if ready to take off.

Steve unconsciously walked up closer, getting a better view of their stances. A chill ran down his spine as he took notice of all three of their faces and it wasn’t a chill from the cold. Their faces were frozen in agony or in anger, Steve couldn’t tell. Their eyes were closed but their mouths were wide open, as if screaming in pain or shouting in pure rage. Their teeth were showing, revealing to the world the sharp fangs they had. On their hands he could see claws that were not drawn in the comics and on their backs, starting from the base of their spines, were appendages he never pictured them having.

Tails. They had _tails_.

Steve had never been in love with something as much as he was now with these statues. Someone had created his favorite characters life-sized and he was struggling to keep down his excitement and releasing a very high pitched sound of pure joy. He didn’t even care that the person responsible had added features to them besides their wings. Steve loved it.

“Holy... shit,” Bucky was standing next to him, sharing a similar expression as him. “I want Rhodey.”

“I want Tony,” Steve reached a hand out, ready to touch Tony Stark’s face and was inches away before Peggy’s voice stopped him.

“I believe owning someone is illegal now, especially if it involves famous comic heroes. The public will raise hell.”

“What?” there was notable confusion in Steve’s voice that caused it to be soft.

“They’re not statues,” Fury explained, “and they’re not collectables either. If they were you’ll have to fight Barton and Wilson for them and about half of the agents in the helicarrier, and that’s not counting all of them.”

“They’re frozen,” Peggy pointed at Pepper’s arm that had a water droplet sliding down. “They’re frozen and melting fast and they’re very much alive.”

“That can’t be-” Steve stared wide eyed at the three statues. “They’re fictional characters.”

“Not anymore,” Fury said. “They’re real and they’re alive. Medical have found readings of steady but slow heartbeats. We have no idea how but I suspect the reasons behind their wings might have a role in it. If their comics are based on real facts then we have three non-existing citizens that have missed nearly 70 years. There will be shock, I guarantee it.”

Realization dawned on Bucky’s face, “Holy shit, you’re assigning us as their babysitters.”

“I was going to say assigning you to make sure they don’t snap and destroy everything in sight. We need to make sure they don’t become a danger to the public.”

Steve placed the missing bits at the end, “And you want to see if they can become allies to us.”

“They can help aid against other superhumans. You and Barnes can’t handle everything out there.”

“Thanks,” Bucky deadpanned.

“I thought you both would love to take this,” Peggy said with a knowing look.

“We can always assign other agents. I have an entire helicarrier of them willing to sign up for it,” Fury said with a gesture around the room. As if to prove his point many of the agents walking around the room and walking in and out of the tunnel turned their heads to look at them, hope shining in their eyes.

“I didn’t say anything about a no,” Bucky quickly said, glaring slightly at the agents.

At the same time Steve nearly shouted a “I’ll do it, Sir.”

“Then it’s settled. Agents Rogers. Barnes and Carter are to be responsible for our little comic characters. I’ll let you decide among yourselves who to take.”

“Tony,” Steve pointed to the frozen human instantly.

“Rhodey,” Bucky quickly followed.

“And I’ll watch for the lovely Virginia Potts,” Peggy said, grinning when Steve and Bucky looked at her in surprise. “What? Just because I don’t advertise it doesn’t mean I’ve never read the comics. I was quite fond of Pepper. She was one of the few strong woman in comics that came out in the 40’s. Besides, without her Anthony and James wouldn’t have survived for half as long as they did.”

“She’s right,” Fury agreed, even when Steve and Bucky looked scandalized.

It took a moment but even they gave in and agreed, “It’s true,” Steve said, remembering many times in the comics where Tony made wrong choices that Pepper had to quickly correct.

“We’ll have them moved to the helicarrier soon and checked in by medical. We can’t risk any complications. I want you three to be nearby but not make contact yet until they’ve been cleared. We need to know more about these wings of theirs and what they’re truly capable of. Clearly there’s more behind it than what we’ve read. Make sure they don’t go in shock or lose control, understand?”

“Yes, Sir,” the three of them said.

Steve looked back at the frozen figure of Tony Stark and, even though he was facing him in person and had evidence he was right there, Steve still couldn’t believe it was happening. He was about to meet his favorite character, a character he long to believed was fake just like the others, but he was one of the lucky ones and was about to have his dream come true.

He was not only going to meet Tony Stark he was going to help him. He was going to _aid_ the famous explorer and adventurer Tony Stark. _The. Tony_. _Stark_.

Steve couldn’t wait.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> After a year and six months I come back to this au thanks to the lovely [AriRomanoff](http://archiveofourown.org/users/AriRomanoff) who requested to have the next chapter done.  
> Send them your love and thanks if you enjoyed the glimpse I gave and wanted more. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy! <3

The three adventurers, after much debating from Steve, Peggy and Fury, were taken to the SHIELD Headquarters in New York to defrost instead. While it almost didn’t matter where exactly they were taken to, Headquarters had better rooming to improvise on a heater while also fitting the equipment necessary to monitor their vital signs and also manage to lock the rooms in case their awakening consisted of violence and breaking everything within sight. There was less risk if a rampage occurred compared to the Helicarrier where if a single hole were to be created through the walls they would have to shut down that entire section in order to avoid any agents accidentally wandering through, getting sucked in and falling to their deaths. 

At least on ground if a dent or two or ten were created the only thing that would occur were the agents walking through and enjoy the warm sun on their skin. 

The three were taken into Headquarters and separated to their own designated rooms to help both stabilize the defrosting and quicken it as much as possible without damaging them as well. Steve stood inside Tony Stark’s room. The adventurer was placed inside a square-shaped glass incubator and was hooked up to machines that followed the motion of his heartbeat. He remained standing exactly how he was frozen in battle, but slowly, very slowly, he was gaining back his color from the grey ice. Already his hair was free from the imprisonment and was curling around his defrosted forehead. His fingers and shoes were also free of the ice as were the tips of his wings and his tail. When his body was defrosted enough to move he was placed on a bed included in the incubator. 

Steve watched with anticipation and fascination and kept his eye focused on every little movement that happened in response from being freed of ice. He was anxious and excited and nervous and was on the verge of geeking out but he had to remain professional. There were cameras present and recording and the last thing he wanted was for faceless agents monitoring those cameras to have blackmail material on him.

It had taken hours for Tony’s body to be that point of ice-free and every once in a while Steve had to take a break to stretch his legs and get a snack or two. He visited Bucky and Peggy at certain points during his walks. They were both in similar rooms as Tony and him further down the halls and corners. Pepper Potts and James Rhodes were also placed as Tony was, both inside a glass incubator and hooked up to machines. They were about as melted as Tony, Pepper even more so. The only thing fully encoded in ice was her chest and when even that was melting away the medical staff scrambled to get as much information on their predicament as possible. Pepper was not waking up even after being completely ice free, meaning she was in some sort of stasis (as the doctor explained) and hinting that once Tony and Rhodey were also freed they would be in the same stasis as her. 

Some time later Steve hurried back to Tony’s room once he heard that the last of the ice melted away from his body. By the time he got there the doctors and nurses had already gotten him wearing standard patient clothing. Steve stood right outside it, watching in amazement at how the adventurer’s chest expanded with every breath he took. It was proof that Tony was still alive. Unconscious, but alive. It was proof that the character Steve had grown up with loving as a child was very much real and right in front of him and  _ alive _ . 

Tony, even through the comics’ characterizing style, looked very much like the Tony’s he read. The same, sticking-up hairstyle and sharp nose and the famous (swooing and knee-trembling) goatee. He even had the heart bubble Tony Stark was known for. The bubble in person and the bubble drawn in the comics were different but still had the same notable features. It had worried Steve first when he realized the contraption was real. It was well known that the bubble was the reason Tony was still alive, keeping his weak heart going, and if anything were to happen to it… well, Steve didn’t want to think about that. When the doctors discovered the bubble was, in better words, off, Steve nearly went into a panic. But then it was concluded the weak heart was thumping like any normal healthy heart should’ve been, long into the hours and to the next day that heart continued beating without any complications. 

When the heart bubble was confirmed to not be a problem the rest of Tony Stark was announced to be perfectly healthy, ignoring the wings and claws and tail. All that was left was for the famous adventurer and genius to wake up on his own. The same went for his friends.

By Fury’s orders the three remained in their incubators that also acted as their cells. While it was not outright said, the glass enclosing was essentially that; a cell, a cage. It was meant to keep them locked inside should they wake up with no one present and decide to go on an all out frenzy and rampage. Steve didn’t like it but he understood why it was done. While the comics said one thing to appease and get the approval ratings, they didn’t know if the real-life characters were truly what they were depicted as for the sake of selling to children and very protective parents, or if they were completely different people that no one in their right mind would spend a moment of their time with. 

They were also worried about the wings and tails. They were unaware of what they were capable of, and it was better to be safe than sorry until they had a better idea. 

Steve, Bucky and Peggy, assigned as very overqualified (or underqualified, from the angle one would look at it) babysitters, were given free schedules that consisted of days without missions so they could help the heroes and prevent any daring agents that wanted to take a close up and personal peek at the unconscious forms. There were more than one occasion where an agent that wasn’t medical tried to get inside the incubator and get a chance to touch the adventurers. They were quickly thrown out of there before they could touch the very glass. 

Steve consisted of throwing these agents the most. He was - unsurprisingly - protective of Tony. Bucky and Peggy as well to their respected adventurers, but Steve even more so. 

The time he was given free from assignments and from paperwork Steve spent it watching over Tony. He tried not to stay further and cross the line of what was considered acceptable and what was considered creepy. But given he was assigned as the person in charge of breaking everything to the adventurer once he woke up Steve was given leeway to stay long past his visitation limits, especially when he started talking to the unconscious form and was receiving responses from it. Not outright eyes-opening or arms moving responses but small responses that consisted of quick intake of breaths and sped-up heartbeats. 

Steve had brought up a chair at one point to the room to sit on and began talking to Tony as if he was wide awake. He usually started his talks by mentioning his day and how Bucky did this or said that or mentioned something embarrassing that happened years ago that he wouldn’t let Steve forget. He also mentioned Peggy in his talks and any agent that he ran into. Natasha, Clint and Sam consisted of these agents. His talks shifted afterwards to history that the adventurers had missed, the war they avoided and the technology that advanced. He even talked of Tony’s adventures and how much he had wished to be a part of it and how they played a big part in what Steve was to that day. 

“I’m not exactly famous like you are,” Steve said to the unconscious adventurer. “I’m well known around as Captain America but my fame is nothing like yours. I don’t have comics made after me and I don’t have grand adventures like you did, but I do what I can to help people. You actually encouraged me to be what I am now. Since I was little I’ve always wanted to be unique just like you. You had your armor that nobody else could get their hands on and you had adventures everyone could only dream of. I was just this skinny kid everyone picked on and bullied, and I was lonely. Your comics gave me reason to not give up, how you could live through so much and still have the courage to keep going. And even when something terrible happened to you that would cause anyone to give up you just dusted yourself off and got on your two feet and created the Iron Man.”

Steve grinned, eyes shining, “I would always remember about everything you went through and think ‘this guy fought against a giant snake and still never gave up. I can survive a few stuck-up bullies if Tony Stark could survive a giant python.’ I started fighting back. Never gave up and never rolled over. You had your Iron Man and I had my small physique with a giant attitude. Before I knew it I got where I am today because of that. I went through this project that I’m supposed to say never happened, but we all know it did, and became Captain America. Sure, it’s not as cool sounding as Iron Man but it was something that belonged to me and I could finally say I was just like you… sort of. I didn’t have the adventures you did but it was something. I’m proud of it, of everything I’ve managed, and it’s all thanks to you.” 

Tony Stark remained motionless but the loud spike of his heartbeat and the flutter under his eyelids signaled that he was listening (at least that was what Steve hoped so). Steve couldn’t reach out and grab hold of his hand or adjust the bedding or even pull back a strand of hair that fell over Tony’s forehead, but, God, he really wanted to. 

“It’s going to be hard when you wake up. The world will be completely different and most of everything you knew will be gone, but I’m here to help you. You and Pepper and Rhodey. Bucky and Peggy will help, too. We’ll be here for you and about half, if not more, of the agents will willingly offer their aid. You’ll get a lot of attention but if you want privacy we can arrange that. If you have questions we’ll be here to answer them. We might not know everything but we have specialist ready if you want them. Just… wake up soon. According to medical you’re doing fine. Nothing broken and all you’re really doing is sleeping without actually sleeping. If you can hear me do you mind moving anything? A twitch of your finger or even just twitch an eyelid. Tell me if you’re actually awake.” 

There wasn’t any movement, even when Steve kept an eagle's eye on every inch of the adventurer’s body for even the slightest twitch. Still, nothing. A bit disheartened he stood from his chair when his comm beeped in his ear to signal a message coming in. He was not prepared for what was shouted next. 

Through the device he heared orders being barked and the sounds of breaking glass and slams against steel and… was that a roar? 

“Steve!” Bucky screamed through the headset, “We’ve got trouble here -  _ shit! _ ” 

Steve quickly switched to Captain America, “Bucky, what’s going on? What’s the situation?” He turned away from the incubator, unaware of the swift movement of a tail and the clenching of claws and eyelids opening to reveal big, brown, diamond eyes searching and snapping to him. 

“It’s Rhodey! He fucking woke up and he’s attacking. He broke clean through the glass, didn’t even break a sweat. We can’t hold him!” The sounds Steve quickly recognized as weapons firing echoed through and the screams from agents soon followed. “He’s taking us out, Steve, we need help!” 

Panic set in, “Hold on, I’ll be right there!” 

Except he couldn’t even take a step forward because the sudden beeping of the monitoring machines stopped him in his tracks. Time slowed down when he turned to see and found Tony Stark standing on his feet with his head bowed and holding the cables that were strapped to his chest in his hands. His wings were somewhat stretched out, giving him the image of an angel on the verge of attacking, and on that moment Steve felt that was exactly what was going to happen to him. Stark snapped his head up and locked his eyes to him. Steve took notice of the sharpness of them, of the diamond shaped pupil that was always present on a snake, and how they looked dangerous, almost feral, not human at all.

The face of Tony Stark scrunched up, bearing his fangs and snarling. In a threatening move he stretched out his red, scaled wings, roared and launched forward, breaking through the glass as if it was never there and headed straight for Steve. 

It was a horrible sight to witness. 

Steve was seeing death coming for him. 

At the last possible second Steve dropped his body down, landing on his back and watching as Stark flew right over him and kept going. 

His heart was beating roughly against his chest. 

He barely felt his arms and legs when he got back on his feet again. 

Stark had gone right through the metal door of the room. There was a gaping hole where the door used to be. Screams and cries echoed through the hallway. Steve dashed after them, following the destruction Stark was leaving behind. 

From the intercoms placed on each floor of the Headquarters alarms were blazing and announcements were being said. “All personnel evacuate immediately. I repeat, all personnel evacuate immediately. There has been a breach. Headquarters is under attack. All personnel -” 

Steve, as fast as he could, gave chase. He didn’t have his armor or his shield. He was fighting without protection and without his attack and defense. But all he could think about was stopping the adventurers from causing any harm to the agents. And all he could think of while he ran was  _ this can’t be _ . 

He followed the sounds of screams and roars and soon he heard the shouts from Bucky and the orders from Fury and Peggy. He rounded a corner just in time to witness Bucky being thrown and slammed against a wall none-too-gently by none other than Tony. From the wall and the angle Bucky had hit and landed and from where Tony stood in comparison Steve deducted that Bucky had his back turned and didn’t see him coming. And from where Rhodes stood it was easy to tell who was distracting Bucky before it happened.

Peggy and Fury stood by the side and both had weapons in their arms, aimed directly at the two newly woken adventurers. The weapons looked like very high-tech guns meant to kill upon impact, but they all knew they were anything but. They were guns meant to stun and tranquilize. They were going to try and bring them in instead of killing them outright and, even though there was chaos and his best friend was on the ground after getting attacked, Steve felt a terrifying weight lift off his shoulders from the relief that the comic heroes were going to be given another chance. 

Steve skidded to a stop when he reached them and he, along with Peggy and Fury, watched as Stark and Rhodes caught glance of each other and quickly stood side by side. They just stared at each other for moments that felt like hours before they both shifted their wings and had two make contact with the other’s. A caring sort of gesture. Communication between them both. It was on that moment that Steve realized that perhaps there was still hope. 

It was also the moment Bucky got back on his feet and pulled out one of his many hidden weapons and aimed, but he didn’t fire. He didn’t get a chance to because a screech that could not belong to a human rebounded on the walls and reached them. Both Stark and Rhode went stiff. Steve could see their muscles rippling through their skin with tension and their heads snapped to the direction the screech came from. There was a long heartbeat moment before they took off. Steve, Bucky, Peggy and Fury watched as Rhodes ran while Stark flew down the hallway. They quickly followed after them and were led right to the room that belonged to Potts. The door was already broken down and they watched as Stark and Rhodes smashed the glass to release a now-awake Potts who’s wings were flapping in agitation. 

Potts was facing their direction and so was the first to see them and quickly shrieked and created a sound that could only come from a bird. Stark and Rhodes turned to face their direction and both began snarling. To his sides, from the corner of his eyes, Steve could see Bucky, Peggy and Fury take aim with their weapons. If Steve had his shield with him he was sure he’d have it up in defense but his only option was to use his hands as a mean to show he meant no harm. Still clinging to what could only be false hope at this point he took a step forward and did the universal gesture he hoped the three adventurers still managed to recognize. 

“Stop, please, we mean no harm,” he said in the most friendly tone possible. “You’re in SHIELD Headquarters. An American government facility. We’re friendlies.” 

“I don’t think they understand,” Bucky said, and from the way they didn’t react or showed any form of recognition Steve knew it was true. They didn’t understand. What were they going to do? 

“I’m Steve Rogers. You don’t know me but you’ve got to know my voice,” Steve kept trying. Maybe they didn’t understand but they had to recognize tones, right? Tony heard his voice everyday for the past few weeks. He had to remember something! “I talked to you everyday while you were unconscious. I’m a friend. We’re here to help. You must believe me.” 

He was on the verge of pleading now. This was his hero. This was Tony Stark. He couldn’t have completely lost himself. He was a celebrity to many and a hero to him. This was not how Steve wanted Tony Stark to be brought back for. This was not how he wanted any of them to be brought back for. 

And then, as if by some miracle, something shifted. It was a small change, barely noticeable unless you were looking directly at it, and Steve was. He was looking right at Tony Stark’s brown eyes, the very same eyes that had the diamond-pupils, and watched as the pupils dilated and showed the most human Steve had seen from Stark since the moment he woke up. 

Stark blinked once, blinked twice, and then fluttered his eyelids as if trying to clear them from some invisible blockage. His form changed from the threatening pose to a relaxed stance. His expanded wings contracted and his arms slowly went down. The snarling face he had created melted away and in its place there was a face of confusion that changed to shock and then to horror. 

Bucky, Peggy and Fury watched in astonishment as it happened. They watched as Stark’s eyes went from them to himself and how he began trembling before, to their surprise, he shouted in panic and took retreating steps away from them. Rhodes and Potts remained in place, not once getting affected by Stark’s panic or Steve’s pleading. From witnessing what had occurred from Steve’s attempt Peggy and Bucky instantly got the idea to give it a try. 

After all, Steve wasn’t the only one who spent everyday talking to his respected character. 

Peggy was the first to speak, “Misses Potts… Pepper. You don’t know me but I’m Margaret Carter. I introduced myself as Peggy weeks ago. Please, you must remember me. I mentioned how Anthony and James are helpless without you watching over them and how they wouldn’t have lasted as far as they did. What Steven says is true. We are here to help.” 

Bucky came up next. He was hesitant and unsure. He had no idea what to say or how to even start so he went with what he did before, he went military, “Stand down, Rhodes. I’m the friendly who got introduced to you days ago. I’m James Barnes, I work for SHIELD, the guys who own this building you’re in right now. They found you and your friends in Sweden frozen like statues and brought you here to melt. We’re here to help but if you don’t calm down you’ll be labeled a hostile and we don’t want that to happen. We are not your enemy!” 

Steve wasn’t paying attention if Bucky or Peggy’s words did anything to help Rhodes or Potts. He was too focused on Tony, who was now standing at the other side of the room, terrified and still in shock. His brown eyes showed so much and a protective instinct inside Steve rose up. He wanted to go up to the man, to his hero, and hold him, protect him from whatever horrors was affecting him, but he knew that was probably the last thing he wanted to do. Especially since whatever had caused him to momentarily lose his sanity might still return at any given moment. Instead, he hunched a bit to make himself look smaller and show he was ready to accommodate his needs.

Stark was still trembling and it was so bad Steve thought he was going to pop his arms right off from the intensity of it. Stark looked on the verge of having a panic attack. 

“They’re going into shock,” Fury shouted. That was when Steve noticed that Tony now wasn’t the only one with his sanity back. Rhodes and Potts were now backing away, trembling as well. Their eyes showing humanity again. “All of you need to calm down,” Fury tried but not even his commanding voice broke through. 

They had no choice now. Steve understood it needed to be done when Peggy and Fury lifted their weapons and aimed, but he didn’t like it. The last thing he saw before Tony Stark, James Rhodes and Pepper Potts closed their eyes were the terror still filled in them and the recognition that shined.

 

* * *

 

There had been a stillness around him. An obscured stillness that came from an environment surrounded by fog that gave the illusion of time standing still. This fog was red, or it at least appeared red to him. Tony didn’t understand, but he knew it was surrounding him and made it very difficult to think properly. The fog made it heavy for him to stay focus. It dazed him, made him have no control of… himself. 

He floated, he believed. He floated through the fog or was merely floating at one spot while the fog continued on. The silence was getting to him. He couldn’t tell if he was dreaming or if he was awake. He felt a little of both. Surely the environment he was enclosed in could only happen in a dream, but even through his daze he felt awake and worked his brain, no matter how sluggish and tired he was. 

He floated aimlessly for what could have been an eternity. Honestly, he didn’t know. Time was nonexistent and the bitter cold he easily recognized around his body wasn’t helpful. There was no visible source for it, but the cold had clung to him like a bitter enemy. The small warmth that echoed in his chest hardly did anything against it. It gave him enough to know he wasn’t going to drop like a stone at any given moment, but it only extended the torture of feeling the sharp ice sting his body. 

Then he felt it, the shift of temperature. Hyperfocused on the difference he caught the shift as the cold surrounding his fingers was slowly joined by the warmth in his chest. The warmth spread in an agonizing pace. First on the edges of his body that slowly made it’s way back to the center. It almost burned going from bitter cold to a soft warmth. 

Without nothing to distract him Tony felt every change in vivid detail. It made the sensations worse. He wanted to shout, to move his body and lessen the feeling, but no matter how strong his will nothing went his way. 

The isolation, lost in his own mind, was a pure accidental torture. 

Which was why when he heard what he thought was a voice in the distance he latched onto it. It was faint for the longest time. As if someone was shouting from far away and their echoe had barely reached him. They were words, he was sure of it, but he couldn’t decipher them. Then the words arrived in close succession, muffled and still from a distance, but they were in a sentence. Slowly but surely he was able to break what the words were. They still weren’t clear but they sounded English so he deciphered based on what he heard. 

“...today I had… buck-e… fell from… height and walked…” 

The sentences didn’t make sense. Not at first. Not until the voice began to clear as if the source was getting closer, or Tony was getting closer to the source. 

“I had agents greet me on my way here… asked after you… a lot of fans asking for… have heads turning everywhere you walk…” 

He was known… if the voice was referring to him it hinted he was known. How known? Was he acquainted with these people? Was he acquainted with the one talking? Were they a potential ally? Could they possibly help him break free through the fog he was floating aimlessly in? 

“I’m not exactly famous like you are… I’m well known around as Captain America… my fame is nothing…” 

Captain America. That was a name. An American title, perhaps? A famous figure just as Tony’s Iron Man was a well-known character? Ally. Surely they were an ally. 

Tony latched on to the name. A life raft in an endless sea of nothing. The voice was all he had and the voice was named Captain America.

“It’s going to be hard when you wake up…” The voice sounded clearer. Mumbled on certain spots, but clear, as if Captain America was right next to him. “The world will be completely different… most of everything you knew will be gone, but I’m here to help you… you and Pepper and Rhodey. Bucky and Peggy… help, too. We’ll be here for you and about half, if not more, of… will willingly offer their aid.”

The fog lessened, dissolved before him little by little. 

“...wake up soon. According to medical you’re doing fine… Nothing broken… all you’re really doing is sleeping without actually sleeping.” Sleeping without actually sleeping? Was he… was he in some form of coma? A stasis? “If you can hear me do you mind moving anything? A twitch of your finger or even just twitch an eyelid. Tell me if you’re actually awake.”

Was he not awake? He felt awake… now more than ever, but he couldn’t do what Captain America asked for. He tried, put all his will to open what he felt were his eyes or move his fingers. 

Light broke through the red fog. Blurred and painful, but he could finally see something in the abyss. There were faded noises ringing in the distance. Obscured shapes everywhere he looked. He moved without his control, without his say. He was a witness to his own body as someone…  _ something _ took control of his actions. 

He couldn’t see properly but the obscured shapes and objects moved quickly from his sight. They were moving… no - no,  _ he  _ was moving. He could hear the ringing noise closer now. A blaring horn, screaming… orders, orders shouted and more screaming and finally a roar.

The roar, it was familiar. He recognized the roar somehow. He followed after the roar, ignoring the screams around him and the shapes passing by. The roar was before him now and a soft growl was shared. Familiarity in the string of unknown. 

A screech prompted more movement. He had more feeling of his body now. He could feel his arms and legs tensing but he has yet any control over them. His sight was still all blurred but he recognized shapes. Hallways, doors, human shapes… was he in a facility of sorts? He had to be for he saw himself break through a door and inside was the screeching. They had been trapped. Something was in the way, keeping them there, but his body moved forward with little to no resistance. 

Everything stilled. Muffled sounds and blurred sights were still present but a sense of familiarity was around him. For a brief moment he felt secured, reunited, but his body quickly tensed up when the one responsible for the screeching signalled the arrival of enemies. His body turned around and crouched. He still couldn’t see who the ‘enemies’ were but he recognized the shape of four people securing the opening they had created. His instincts screamed danger and with no control he was a slave to his body’s actions. 

One of the shapes moved closer, slow and cautious. Its arms lifted. Ready to strike? No, the arms just stayed there. Not threatening, but his body refused to relax. 

Then he heard it. 

“I’m Steve Rogers. You don’t know me but you’ve got to know my voice,” The voice… the voice, he recognized the voice. Captain America, it was his voice! “I talked to you everyday while you were unconscious. I’m a friend. We’re here to help. You must believe me.” 

Ally. The voice was an ally. The only thing that kept him grounded as he floated without reason for what felt an eternity. He… he needed to reach for the voice. Push through the obscurity and see what the truth was with Captain America. He willed it with all his might. His mind clawed to the surface to regain control. When the figure of Captain America sharpened ever so lightly he focused on what he had done and forced it further. His sight took in detail and the blockage of the sound disappeared, allowing him to hear the blaring sirens loud and clear. Captain America became complete. Red and blue abd nearly skin tight outfit, tall, broad shouldered, golden hair,  _ young _ , worried… defenseless. 

His sight cleared further and he took in the stance of the three figures standing besides Captain America. Knees bent and ready to move, armed with their weapons aimed at Tony’s direction, faces hard and eyes honed for any small shift that could determine the outcome of any fight. They were warriors, sharpened by the harshness of battle, and they were aimed at their enemies; aimed at where Tony was standing. 

The revelation was confusing. What for were they labeling him as an enemy? He was American and the famous explorer Tony Stark and Iron Man. What warranted having those weapons aimed at him? What had he -

There was an unconscious movement on his back. His own, but foreign, an out of body experience almost, enough to cause shock; yet it felt as familiar as an arm or a leg. There was also a movement at the base of his spine. Extra appendages that he had pushed away in his mind and had denied their existence, but now as his body and mind remade the connection again the sensation of moving extra limbs returned to him like an old enemy he wished to forget. 

He had remembered he wasn’t the same. To those without knowledge of the history he carried he was nothing more than a man mixed with a beast. A freak. A danger. 

His surroundings gave him the clues as to why they aimed their weapons towards him. The sirens blaring, the broken door and the glass everywhere by their feet. Captain America and his allies were not the intruders. He was. 

And they knew of his capabilities. 

They were not attacking. They were defending themselves. 

From him. 

His body began to tremble. Not in fear for them, but fear for himself. 

How many had he hurt? How many had he - had he  _ killed? _

He swore himself to never lose control, to prevent the blackouts and prevent his body to use power that was not his own and stop the  _ beast  _ from using him for his own purpose. 

He had failed. In an area surrounded by many, no doubt, and injuries were a guarantee. 

The shout he had released in panic as he took trembling steps back was justified. His eyes were focused on Captain America as he continued to stare with that worried expression he didn’t deserve. Tony had wanted to order him back, to order them all away, but the very act of forming words seemed an impossible task. His body instead continued to quake in panic. 

“They’re going into shock,” Someone behind the Captain shouted. Had Tony been sane he would’ve applaud the man for his sharp eye, but he had no right to quip. Not when he was the hostile in the room. “All of you need to calm down,”

That was easier said than done. It was hard to remain calm nowadays when a beast dwelled inside him, just under the surface, waiting to take over again. 

When the weapons released a whirring noise of being charged he couldn’t blame them for their decision of following through. Panic led to many things and that was something that couldn’t be risked with him. 

The last sight he saw were the blue of Captain America’s eyes as the weapons fired and numbed his body. He had been spared, instead of brutally finished. The dark consumed him with his panic and the familiarity of Captain America created a light in the middle of the darkness before it was overtaken by his subconscious. 

This time there was no reddish fog obscuring his mind. He woke up to a clear, silver ceiling. Calm, confused, and inside a glass enclosure with his wrist gripped by what he could described as shackles that surrounded his entire hands and reached up to his forearms. His ankles were free, oddly enough, and in an unconscious movement he discovered his wings were as well. He spread them far and wide, relishing the way the new muscles stretched and unwind, but when he caught something on the corner of his eye he snapped them back close and made them appear as small as possible. 

Outside of the glass enclosure stood the very same Captain America that he had confronted. He watched him warily, unsure of his position. Was he a captive now? Was this his prison? Was he to be experimented now to discover the secrets that was his beast? 

Seconds ticked by until eventually he couldn’t stand the silence. “Am I a prisoner?” 

The question, or perhaps the action of him speaking, caused the Captain to startle. He had not expected it. “N-no! No, you’re not a prisoner.” 

Tony gave his shackles a glance, knowing the Captain would follow his eyes and understand the unspoken question. 

“Those are for the safety of the others,” he explained. “We weren’t sure if there would be a repeat of before. We placed precaution, but we didn’t want you three to feel confined.” 

Instinctively Tony gave the glass cage a pointed look. It caused the Captain to turn an interesting shade of pink and he had seconds to admire the fine color on the young complexion before he caught up with the Captain’s wording. “Three?” 

The Captain straightened up. “Yes, you, Miss Potts and Mister Rhodes.” 

“They're here?” Both disbelief and relief made themselves known. His dear friends present with him wherever they were? 

“Yes, they're in the rooms next door, actually. I'm surprised you didn't see them before when you were…” The Captain stopped himself with a cringed, wisely avoiding the sore subject Tony didn’t wish to remember. “They’re near and they’re safe, just like you. You’re with SHIELD.

Tony was skeptical of the safe part. There was never a moment he was truly safe. Because of his misfortune he was either always at risk of being captured and studied, or he was a danger to those around him. No one was safe so long as the beast that rested in his mind, body and soul was present. 

“How did I come upon SHIELD?” he asked as he made himself as comfortable as the situation allowed and ordered his wings tucked closely at his back. The Captain’s gaze followed them, expressing none of shock expected and instead showing awe and… elation? 

“You were found frozen in Sweden. SHIELD excavated you and your friends out and brought you here for aid and to help you settle in.” 

Frozen in Sweden… that cannot be. What had he -? 

“What’s the last thing you remember?” The Captain took a relaxed stance. 

The last he recalled was… was traveling. He had traveled to a location in pursuit of information. Yes, and it took them to Sweden, to an underground location where… where the beast attacked them! The hydra. Where was the hydra? 

“What else did you find?” He demanded. 

The Captain appeared taken back. “Just you and your friends. The entire area was frozen and caved in. You were underground for a while.” 

“No, that can’t be,” Tony felt the appendages on his back snap open and retract. “There was another, there has to be. We were not the only ones.” 

The Captain shook his head. “We didn’t find anyone else. Just you.” 

“Surely the beast has escaped then. You must have a search. Scour every inch of land if you must. If the beast is not stopped then we’re risking endangering hundreds of civilians.” 

“If there’s a beast out there we would’ve heard about it by now. In this day and age it’s pretty hard to avoid cameras and phones. Pictures and videos would’ve been circulating.” 

The lack of worry, the unmovable confidence and the odd choice of wording made Tony pause for a moment. There was no reason to mention time in that manner unless a certain number of years had passed while he had been under ice. 

How long had he been frozen? 

“You speak as though a lot of time has passed,” Tony searched for any tells on the Captain. Any single movement to let him know if there was a clue or a lie. 

The Captain didn’t even try to hide his discomfort. Clearly he had information, and it was apparent he believed Tony wouldn’t like the information one bit. It caused Tony to worry. 

“You’ve been asleep… for nearly 70 years.” 

A pin dropped in the distance. 

“Tell me what I’ve missed.” 

**Author's Note:**

> This is all I'm leaving for now. I might continue this once I finish I Started. I hope I continue this because I am so many ideas swimming around involving SHIELD and messing with agents and making Fury furious.  
> Tell me what you think!


End file.
